Squeeze tubes and other containers for dispensing liquids, pastes, gels, ointments and the like, and methods for the manufacture thereof, are of course well known in the art. Typically, such containers consist of a collapsible tubular body, a molded nozzle insert, and a closure cap, all of which are usually separately formed and subsequently assembled. While they are highly satisfactory and in widespread use, the separate forming and assembly operations employed tend to be expensive and time-consuming. In addition, current consumer-protection and child-safety concerns have given rise to a considerable demand for "child-proof" and tamper-resistant containers.
Various techniques (exemplary of which are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,006 and United Kingdom Specification No. 1,010,541) have sought to improve upon the economics and rates of production of containers of the sort herein involved. Moreover, a wide variety of structures affording resistance to the unauthorized removal of closures have been proposed. However, as far as is known, no presently-available container affords the advantages of that of the instant invention, nor lends itself to production by the highly facile and economic method herein set forth.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel dispensing container which lends itself to economical, high-speed fabrication.
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a container which is tamper-resistant and/or child-proof.
Another object is to provide a novel and facile method for the fabrication of a container having the foregoing features and advantages.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel method for the fabrication of a tamper-resistant container comprised of a collapsible tubular body, a nozzle insert, and a closure cap wherein the closure cap is integrally formed with means for securing the insert to the end of the body.